Dear All

My header is from the garden. The minature poinsettias are in fl ower all over the garden. It tells me the cold season is here ...

Taxi Driver ArrestedDaily Mail

A COMBINED team of offi cers from the Zambia Police Service, Zambia Air Force (ZAF) and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife have arrested a 38-year-old taxi driver in Livingstone for illegal possession of 10 elephant tusks among other restricted articles.Southern Province commissioner of police Goldwin Phiri said in a statement yesterday that the taxi driver was arrested around 05:00 hours on Thursday at Livingstone ZAF base.Mr Phiri named the suspect as Winter Ngenda of Morelight Extension in Livingstone. Two other suspects only identifi ed as John and Sylvester evaded arrest.Mr Phiri said the taxi driver had used a bush path to avoid a roadblock at Department of National Parks and Wildlife gates and drove into a ZAF check point at which he was arrested.

LIVINGSTONE

Astra Slimline Extention Cable

I bought an extension cable in Shoprite the other day. I didn’t like the look of it but bought it anyway. It had the British fl ag on it and a Zambian bar code so I assumed it would be OK. But when I got home I got suspicious.

Here is a photo of the one I bought and one advertised on the Astra website in UK. Note the difference! Astra UK clearly puts their name on their product.

I then turned to the bar code from Unibisco Zambia. This company has a website ’under construction’.

But the internet did tell me that the company is owned by Faisal Badat. And that he was previously Executive Director of Milehighinvestments.

Comments from a reader

I live in Kingston Ontario, Canada and read your Livingstone newsletter. I used to live in Vancouver and came to Livingstone once. I just had to write and tell you what a laugh the article about the new admin building at Choma gave me, because it reminds me so much of Kingston. In Vancouver, once something is more than 30 years old, they go in with bulldozers and raze whole blocks at a time, and in a year or so, whole new neighbourhoods appear. In Kingston buildings seem to take forever to build, and yes, they often sit dormant for months, after running out of money.

Game Rangers International

GRI is very sad to report that Kafue, a seven-year-old released orphan elephant, was recently killed by lions.Kafue had released himself earlier than we would have expected and spent the past six months living completely independent of the EOP as a close companion to 11-year-old released orphan Chodoba, who passed away in March (cause of death still pending fi nal analyses). It seems that Chodoba played an active role in keeping Kafue safe in the wilds of Kafue National Park. Although Kafue joined up with other release orphans, older and bigger than himself, after Chodoba’s death, he was still not offered adequate protection during this lion attack. All the EOP release orphans are currently being secured within the protective boma overnight and will continue to be given night-time protection until they are suffi cient in size to defend themselves against lions.This has been an incredibly hard time for all the staff at EOP and whilst we learn such painful lessons we can only hope they will enable greater understanding to ensure long-term success for the remaining and future orphans.

Kafue is pictured on the photo together with Tafi ka and Batoka in October 2015.

ZAMBIA

I assume that Faisal Badat’s entry into the electrical trading world started about a year ago and that he is just getting going.

What I am nervous about is the labelling of the Extension Cable as an Astra product when I feel sure that it is not. The label looked exactly the same with the British fl ag but I do not think it is from Britain. I have a ‘real’ Astra Extension cable and the quality is much better.

I have emailed Astra UK to see if they can tell me anything. I would really like to know.

Swedish Journalists ArrestedThe Post

CHIEF Mukuni says the recent arrest of two Swedish journalists has dented Zambia’s image internationally.

Police in Lusaka have charged two Swedish journalists with criminal trespass after they attempted to fi lm Zambia National Farmers Union executive director Ndambo Ndambo’s lavish residence after he was found to have misappropriation donor aid from that country.

Sophia Djibaridis, a journalist at the Swedish national broadcaster SVT along with cameraman Ake Wehrling, and their Zambian guide Charles Mafa of the Bulletin & Record magazine, were detained at Lusaka Central Police Station from Saturday April 30 and only released on Monday May 2 after being charged with criminal trespass.

Their camera equipment was confi scated and is still being held by police. ...

Police arrest 24 People in Monze for riotingLusaka Times

TWENTY –Four people have been picked up by the Police in Monze following a two day riot that rocked Chisekesi area after a motorist hit a pedestrian and ran away on Monday evening.

The angry residents ran amok protesting and blocked the Livingstone Lusaka Road and stoned some of the vehicles that were passing on the road while business in the area also came to a standstill.

G: Although I am sad that a person was hit on the road, I am not surprised. The main Livingstone-Lusaka road is 470km long. Anyone driving along this road is going to take 6 hours to complete the journey. The road passes through numerous villages, most of which have speed humps to protect the people. And it is the people who crowd the roads selling tomatoes and cabbages, etc, or otherwise just wandering across which are the cause of the problem. A main highway, to me, should not pass through villages – the road should be re-routed around the village. If this is impossible, then barriers should be put up along the pavements to stop people from wandering on the road. A road is for vehicles, not people ...

We should have this: Not this:

Liuwa Plain

New life in Liuwa! This is Bonjo, one of the hyena’s in the North clan who is being studied by the Zambian Carnivore Programme in Liuwa Plain National Park.This photo shows her with one of her cubs, only one month old!

Conservation Lower Zambezi

CLZ and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife are excited to introduce six new members of the Lower Zambezi wildlife protection team: detection and tracking dogs Lego and Bar, and their four handlers. The two dogs - German Sheperds born and bred in Holland - arrived in the Lower Zambezi on 24 April after being selected by specialist dog trainers Jay Crafter and Mike Hensman from Invictus K9. With the arrival of the dogs, a week of handler selection commenced under the guidance and expert eyes of Jay and Mike. The nine candidates were assessed carefully for a set of specifi c qualities – physical fi tness, memory, integrity, ability to communicate and function under pressure, teamwork, leadership, teaching a common subject, and of course, each candidate’s empathy to animals and their relationship with Lego and Bar. It was a tiring week for the candidates but it was vital for drawing out the right candidates – essential for building a strong and committed unit to conduct anti-poaching operations with the dogs. The two primary handlers chosen were Sheleni Phiri (one of CLZ’s Village Scouts since 2013) and CLZ’s very own Peter Tembo, who started with CLZ in 2011 as kitchen/camp assistant and has since risen to Operations Assistant under CLZ’s Operations Manager Rabson Tembo. The secondary handlers are Christopher Sheleni and Adamson Phiri, both formally employed under CLZ’s Village Scout unit. We congratulate the four of them and wish them well on their journey to becoming expert dog handlers. The journey begins with three months of intense training, for both the dogs and the handlers, that will test their mental and physical abilities as well as allowing them to grow their bond with Lego and Bar. The unit will be based out of CLZ under high security and will be an additional tool in CLZ’s and DNPW’s mission to protect the wildlife and combat traffi cking of illegal wildlife products in the Lower Zambezi, and in Zambia. We recognize the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for providing partial funding for these activities through the USAID/ZAMBIA Community Forests Program. We would also like to thank the Elephant Crisis Fund for providing further funding for the dog unit.

Over the past two years Empowered By Light and Standard Microgrid have been visiting the Lower Zambezi with the vision to install an innovative solar system to help empower and enlighten the communities that live in the area. After the solar system installation at CLZ Base Camp in July 2015, generously donated by EBL, which now allows CLZ to run completely on solar power, the next venture was to solarize Mugurameno Basic School with the help of the surrounding community. This school is the fi rst school to the west of CLZ Base Camp in the Chiawa Game Management Area and has a community that still lives without connection to the national power grid and that is faced with frequent human-wildlife-confl ict, especially crop-raiding elephants. The solar system literally comes complete ‘in a box’ – solar panels, installation equipment, cables, special plugs, etc., packed up neatly in a container that is shipped from the US to the shores of Africa where it was transported through Namibia to Zambia. After months of local residents signing up for being connected to ‘the grid’ and two weeks of installation work by Brian and Matt, two of Standard Microgrid’s founders, the solar system is now up and running - powering Mugurameno Basic School and its surrounding residents. The model is the fi rst of its kind and boasts of its sustainable nature as residents pay a small set-up fee and a monthly rate for a pre-determined amount of power. These fees go entirely towards the upkeep and maintenance of the solar system - so in return for free provision of power to the school, the community is empowered with having access to power. CLZ would like to congratulate both Standard Microgrid and EBL for their determination, hard work and vision to be able to bring light and power to this beautiful little village on the banks of the Zambezi River. The power will bring so many opportunities for students, teachers, residents and local businesses. Photo by Chuck Chastain

Conservation South Luangwa

Snared giraffe rescueIt takes at least 12 people, 2 vehicles and lots of skill to dart and bring down a giraffe successfully. Well done Dr Sichande and team once again and thanks to ZCP’s Jonathan Merkle for following her all night so we could fi nd her in the morning, amazing commitment.

GRI-Kafue Conservation Project

A very big thank you to the Game Rangers Association of Africa and WWF for sponsoring a Tactical Tracker Training course at Chunga Training School. The 10 x day course was completed yesterday with the Senior Warden taking the General Salute at the close out ceremony. These new skills will be shared into the anti-poaching units across Kafue National Park and will empower the rangers to be more effi cient and effective during follow ups in the fi eld.

More Zambian PoachersRadio VOP

Victoria Falls, May 22, 2016 - TWO suspected Zambian poachers were killed by Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) rangers at the Zambezi National Park in Victoria Falls on Saturday following a heavy exchange of gun fi re, a conservation group has revealed.Trevor Lane of Bhejane Trust said the rangers stumbled on a group of suspected poachers from Zambia and it is believed that they had recently entered the country.“The details are still sketchy but it happened early this morning. Parks rangers were on their daily routine duty when they met face to face with 10 Zambian poachers at the Zambezi National Park,” he said.“The poachers had obviously crossed on the full moon and were making their way inland to poach elephants.“The group comprised of one Zambian believed armed with heavy weapon (375/458) rifl es, another with AK47 for protection and 8 porters.“The parks patrol engaged them and shots were exchanged. Parks shot dead the poacher with AK47, and a porter- the rest of the group fl ed leaving everything behind including the gun, 100 kilograms meal-mealie and personal items,” said Lane.Lane said the group had not yet accomplished their mission as no elephant tusks were recovered.

Kariba Animal Welfare Trust

ELE CALF HIT & KILLED IN VEHICLE ACCIDENT EVENING 8 MAY 2015Sadly another hit for both the Elephants and a Kariba Resident.Just after the Nyanyana Bridge before the Airport this Ele Calf came running out the bush across the road and was hit by the Kariba Resident.There were no other Elephants around at the time of the accident.The gentleman phoned Parks to report the accident and when the Authorities arrived they advised that they had passed a herd further back on their way to the accident. This poor little one had obviously lagged behind and became lost, running to fi nd her family. ...

A number of Residents called in to both Parks and KAWFT with a report of a badly snared Zebra and blood coming from her mouth.When she was found with her family outside a residential house her tongue was so badly swollen as she was choking to death due to the TIGHT wire around her neck/throat.

With an extremely quick reaction in getting to her, she was approached as she was trying hard to drink water. Fortunately the wire had not been on for very long and had not sliced deep into her. ...

Exhausted and unable to breathe, she collapsed and Dick was able to quietly, quickly and carefully go up behind her and snip the tight wire and remove it. She began breathing relatively normally after the wire was removed and her tongue went back into her mouth although it was obviously still very swollen.

She then stood up and started drinking a little water. Yes… she is carrying another wee one in her belly! She rested for a while under watchful eyes.

They then moved off onto the Powerline area near Tamarind and when checked again later in the day she was eating normally and recovering. ...

ZIMBABWE

Painted Dog Foundation

And when you have the joy of potential denning by Socks (see previous post) one is reminded of how much more work we need to do as snaring continues. Spooner seen in the picture is the fi fth dog caught in a snare this year, luckily his anti-snare collar saved him and the research team led by Hillary is in Sinamatella to remove this snare. The Anti-Poaching Unit is also removing as much as they can of these deadly snares but it is under staffed considering the magnitude of this dilemma.

Bumi Hills Anti-Poaching Unit

This sad photo speaks a thousand words. Sent to us today but not too sure who the photographer was or where this is. This calf’s mother was apparently poached for her ivory. The calf will not abandon its mother, and the rest of the herd is reluctant to leave. Such scenarios are played out everyday in Africa, and this is why we have to do all in our power to stop this.

Elephants Without Borders

EWB’s research on zebra is highlighted in this upcoming episode of the BBC series Nature’s Epic Journeys! Wed, May 25th on BBC one, Tune in!Braving one of Botswana’s most brutal wildernesses, thousands of zebra make Africa’s longest land migration to reach the rich grasslands of Nxai Pan National Park.Hosted and guided by EWB, spokeswoman Liz Bonnin leads the team using cutting-edge technology to attempt something that has never been done before - following the zebra on the ground, every step of the way, to reveal the secrets behind this brand new discovery.

BOTSWANA

Kasane AirportDaily News

Kasane Airport improvement project is scheduled to be handed over in December this year. The project entails construction of a new terminal building and an air traffi c control tower.

Speaking in an interview recently, the resident engineer, Mr Adriaan Badenhorst of AECOM company said the project was 83 per cent complete, adding that 74 per cent of the monetary value had already been spent. ...

Runway widening has also been carried out increasing it from 30 to 45 meters and was envisaged that the refurbished terminal building will accommodate 673 000 passengers per annum by 2030.

G: Boeing 737s will be able to land at Kasane which will give both Zambia and Zimbabwe stiff competition. I have already commented in a previous issue that tourists are not happy coming in to Zambia and tend to take a day trip to the Victoria Falls from Kasane (usually to the Zimbabwe side). This new airport will be just another nail in our tourism coffi n.

NAMIBIADredging the Zambezi RiverNew Era

The dredging of the Zambezi River that started in 2014 to deepen the river to allow for smooth sailing of a new ferry has stopped, as the newly commissioned multi-million-dollar dredger has since broken down.The dredger, that cost government nearly N$8 million, was commissioned in 2014 and was due to start dredging to alleviate the plight of thousands of people displaced in the eastern parts of the region by seasonal fl ooding.Residents of the fl ood-prone Kabbe constituencies have expressed concern over the delay in the process and want to know when dredging operations will resume in the Zambezi. They also complain that the fares (up to N$300) for the Kapelwa Kabajani ferry areexorbitant andthey want these to be revised downwards through government subsidies.The Ministry of Works and Transport acquired and commissioned the dredger with the sole intention of clearing clogged waterways for the Kapelwa Kabajani river ferry, which has not been operational ever since its maiden voyage in 2010 due to low water levels and impassable and rocky patches in the river. ...

G: This has been an ongoing project for several years. As you can see from the map (a very old one) the tip of the Caprivi Strip (now Zambezi Province) is marshland. Already this year residents have been moved from the area because of fl oods. The plan by government is to use a boat along the Zambezi River to ease movement of the people. But, before the boat can move along the river, the river has to be dredged.

KazungulaSesheke

Forests PlunderedInformante

Tammy Kleinhans and Bulle G. MbaurumaTHE Namibian charcoal industry, regarded as the sixth biggest in the world, is caught in the eye of an international envi-ronmental storm with illegal fi rewood harvests in the Zambezi Region and illegal charcoal producers allegedly turning to stock theft when authorities clamp down on nomadic kiln operators in Omaheke Region.The illegal charcoal industry has moved its operations from the mopane rich forest of the Ugab ravine in the Otjozondjupa and Erongo Regions to a cross border trade in the Zambezi forests.Illegal fi rewood and charcoal productions are booming in the Zambezi Region where the biggest mopane trees are found and the menace is likely to contribute to deforestation in one of the last remaining forest in the country. Outlets earn more than N$2 million per year from mopane wood, fueling suspicions that charcoal production and illegal wood harvesting of protected species is now being exported illegally to Angola, South Africa and Zambia.Informanté can reveal that the cutting of big live trees has spread in the entire Zambezi Region with 46 outlets in 28 loca-tions already identifi ed from Katima Mulilo to Bukalo and Ngoma. Only 14 outlets out of 43 have legal permits issued by the Directorate of Forestry (DoF) to harvest fi rewood, while 30 out of 43 sell live cut mopane fi rewood. Since 2013 an estimated 2 000 mature mopane trees are cut down each year, which is about 35 mature live trees cut each week.The most affected area is said to be the mopane woodlands in the vicinity of Katima Mulilo, where the protected trees are said to be depleted to worrying levels, which also makes it now easier for fl oods to reach Katima Mulilo. ...

Access to tourist attractions in Angola will be taxed

The government of Angola plans to levy a tax on access to major tourist attractions in the country, said Tuesday in Luanda the minister of Hotels and Tourism, Paulino Baptista, speaking to Angolan public radio.

The minister, who did not give dates for the tax to start being charged, also said that the measure had been approved by the economic committee of the Council of Ministers.

Baptista added that as part of the announced measure there are plans to study the municipalities in the country that have the most tourist attractions in order to provide services to support tourism.

The seven natural wonders of Angola were announced in May 2014 and include the Tundavala gap and Kalandula Falls, two of the most internationally known tourist attractions in Angola, in the provinces of Huila and Malanje, respectively.

The Kalandula Falls is the post-independence name given to the Duke of Braganza Falls, as they were called in the colonial period and which are, after Victoria Falls on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, the second largest falls in Africa.

The remaining fi ve wonders are the forest of Mayombe in Cabinda, the Nzenzo caves, in Uige, the Carumbo lagoon in Lunda Norte, Mount Moco, in Huambo and the River Chiumbe falls in Lunda Sul.

G: I am sure most of you (as with me) know little of Angola’s tourist attractions. So here are those mentioned in this article with some pictures nabbed from the internet.

ANGOLA

Kalundula Falls Mayombe Massif

Tundavala gap

Nzenzo caves

River Chiumbe falls

Mount MocoCarumbo lagoon

Zambia and Angola sign $2.5bn Oil dealLusaka Times

THE ZAMBIA Development Agency (ZDA) and an international corporation of Angola on Friday signed a US$2.5 billion memorandum of understanding (MoU) which will see the construction of a petroleum pipeline to run from Lobito in Angola to Lusaka.

The corporation, Basali Ba Liseli Resources Limited (BBLR) and ZDA, confi rmed that the project that would see a

reduction in the pump prices of petroleum products, would commence early next year and be completed in 2016. ...

The project would be called Angola-Zambia Refi ned Petroleum Multi-Product (AZOP) would cover 1, 400 kilometres

from the Port City of Lobito, to Lusaka in Zambia. AZOP Pipeline system would not involve middlemen but designed to

deliver fi nished products including petrol, low sulphur diesel, Jet fuel and Liquefi ed Petroleum Gas (LPG) for Zambia, and

Katanga Province in Congo DR.

Speaking in Lusaka during the signing ceremony, BBLR executive director Wamulume Kalabo said the AZOP Pipeline

would be conducted through a Build Operate and Own, Transfer (BOOT) basis under the Public-Private Partnership

(PPP) initiatives....

Join Cecil the Lion in his call to UN/UNESCO to establish “World Heritage Species” programChange.org

Join the petition that calls on the United Nations to establish a World Heritage Species PROGRAM. In the name of Cecil but for all our wildlife heritage - with Cecil leading the way.

Imagine the world with no more lions – a world where they are just a memory. It is hard to imagine, but this is the direction we are heading. The number of lions in the world has declined so dramatically that they are at a critical point of survival. Immediate action is required. And the involvement of the world’s governing body is now a necessity.

UNESCO is the United Nations Education, Scientifi c and Cultural Organization. UNESCO already designates remarkable places as World Heritage Sites. These sites are of exceptional importance to the world and deserve special status and protection. Lions are amongst the most iconic creatures on earth. They have been a beloved symbol throughout history - a living heritage equally worthy of such protection and ideally suited as the inaugural species of this Program.

This petition asks UNESCO to expand its mandate of “conservation and protection of world heritage sites” to include “conservation and protection of iconic species that are part of our biological heritage and keystone of biodiversity” and to establish a “World Heritage Species” PROGRAM and list the lion as the FIRST title holder under its mandate.

All animals are precious but some are more vulnerable than others. The recent killing of Cecil the Lion has highlighted the negative consequences of senseless and gratuitous killing of targeted animals. Now Cecil’s cubs are threatened as a result of Cecil’s killing. The terrible cascade of effects is plain to see. Pleasure seekers and poachers that hunt and kill have an impact on the entire population. ...

G: I disagree with this petition. Lions are decreasing in the wild because of habitat loss and lack of prey species; it has nothing to do with hunting lions and certainly the Cecil icon has been completely over used.

I do agree that the world has a responsibility to help to protect wildlife environments. If we protect the environments the lions will increase quickly.

It is only recently that I have become heartened with the way Zambia’s parks are being protected. I feel that our wildlife may have a future whereas a few years ago I felt that we were losing the war. We are winning the war because of outside help which we sorely need. Donors are giving to the many NGOs which have been set up in the last 10 years or so and these NGOs are doing a fantastic job.

Here are some of the organisations which contribute to the environment in Zambia:

Conservation Lower Zambezi; Conservation South Luangwa, Conservation Lake Tanganyika, Kafue TrustKasanka TrustChipembele Trust in South LuangwaGame Rangers International in Kafue, (Part of David Shepherd Foundation)African Parks Foundation in Liuwa Plain and Bangweulu Wetlands, African Wildlife Foundation in Lower Zambezi and Mosi-oa-Tunya, Zambia Carnivore Programme in Liuwa Plain, Luangwa and KafueFrankfurt Zoological Society in North LuangwaThe Nature Conservancy in KafuePeace Parks Foundation in KAZABiocarbon Partners in Lower Zambezi

I know there are more and I will probably get into trouble for forgetting some. But the point is that all these NGOs are channelling money from overseas into the protection of our parks. Instead of asking UNESCO to spend money on lots of meetings and drawing up a document to protect lions, the money would be much better spent on these incredible organisations which are on the ground protecting our environments, helping the communities which live next to wildlife and teaching the children to understand their natural heritage.

OTHER STUFF

Have a good two weeks

Gill

EXCHANGE RATES

US$1 K10.25

P11.22

Nam$15.65

WEATHER

Min Temp Max Temp

13°C (55) 22°C (72)

Oooo ... it is too cold. And we have some months to go before it starts to warm up ...

TWO SMILES

Africa Geographic

Weekends are for lion around.....

Image taken at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park by Farida Carim